Our One Hope Is This
by Lord Kronos
Summary: Hermione is arriving on Azkaban Isle to meet Harry after five years. Why was Harry put in prison. Why is Hermione meeting him if he's a criminal?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, I don't even own the words, not even the order that I have placed them in!

* * *

The air was deathly still around Azkaban Prison as Hermione was helped off the ferry. She didn't offer any thanks to the ferryman. She was steeling herself for the sight which awaited her. She would do her best to not turn away in disgust. It was almost five years to the hour since Harry's incarceration. She wondered how Harry would react to her.

* * *

Over the last week, Harry had noticed that the Dementors were slowly decreasing the number of passes of his cell. They had started off standing guard twenty-four hours a day, forcing Harry to relieve the moment of his parents' sacrifice over and over; to relive the betrayal of his friends. It was they who had put him here. 

Two months ago, the Dementors had started to give Harry five minutes of respite, gradually increasing the time that Harry had away from them as well as the frequency. Somewhere in the recesses of Harry's mind it registered that it must be drawing near the time of his release, he wondered who, if anyone would meet him.

* * *

Hermione made her way through the last check point and was lead to the waiting area. A man pointed to a seat in the side of the room. Hermione looked closely at the chair, dust covered it, "_oh well, I sat in that boat,"_ she thought and promptly sat down to wait for Harry's arrival.

* * *

Not a single dementor had past Harry's cell in the past twenty-four hours and Harry was starting to gain some semblance of a mind back. He now was fully aware that he was in Azkaban Prison, that his trusted friends had put him there… well all but one… Hermione hadn't helped them, she even tried to stop them, but with the restrictions that were put on muggleborns, there was not a lot she could do. That was the first time he had thought of Hermione at all during his incarceration in Azkaban Prison. The Dementors fed on happy thoughts, and as Hermione had never betrayed him, he only had happy thoughts about her, causing Harry to forget that she even existed. But thankfully, Harry was stronger than the ordinary wizard, who would have been nothing but a waste of space after two years in Azkaban. Harry was regaining all his happy memories, although they were all overshadowed by the betrayal he felt.

Harry heard footsteps down the end of the hall, another five minutes later a guard came and unlocked Harry's cell door and stepped aside to allow Harry to walk out. Harry, having realised that he would be leaving soon, had started working his leg muscles, he did not want to have to be helped out of his cell; they would not have that satisfaction.

* * *

Hermione stood sharply as she heard the door opposite her open. The door slowly swung open and in walked Harry, followed by a guard.

Hermione stifled a gasp when she saw Harry. He was quite literally skin and bone, "_hadn't they fed him?" _she thought, and _"people were going to pay for what they had done to her Harry!"_ And pay they would, through the nose.

The door slowly opened and Harry saw Hermione, he tried to smile, but he couldn't he was too numb with shock. He heard a slight gasp from her, Harry was immediately felt sorry for inflicting this sight on her, but in a way he was glad it was just Hermione here to see him, he didn't know what he would have done if Ronald Weasley had been there.

Harry heard the door behind close, the guard that had escorted him to this room had left. Harry just stood there waiting for whatever lecture Hermione was about to give.

Instead, his sight was obscured by a bushy brown substance, and there was pressure around his torso. It was a hug; Harry had almost forgotten what one of Hermione's hugs felt like. "Hermione… breathe…" Harry said in a low raspy voice, his vocal chords hadn't been used in five years.

"Oh, Harry, you're you! I can't believe it, after all this time in there, it's still you!" Hermione said, sobbing.

"_Damn, I _still_ don't know what to do about a crying girl!" _Harry thought absently. "Of course it's me! Who did you expect to walk through that door, Malfoy?" Harry responded, half laughing, half coughing and spluttering.


	2. Chapter 2

"You won't be seeing daylight for two years."

Hermione looked at the guard impassively.

"Perhaps you'll think twice before showing support for Him."

As the guard walked away, Hermione felt his presence be replaced by the cold hopelessness of a dementor. Her memories of Harry were the first she forgot. The memories of her parents, bar one indirect memory, followed suit. She could still vividly remember the day that Professor Dumbledore informed her that her parents were dead. Brutally murdered. Dumbledore didn't tell her in so many words, in fact he did nothing to prepare Hermione for the sight that would confront her when Dumbledore took her to identify the bodies. Their bodies were covered with sheets, their mutilated faces exposed to the world. They weren't so mutilated as to prevent Hermione identifying the bodies, but enough so as to torture Hermione in her dreams for many years to come.

That was perhaps what prompted Hermione to take on a much larger role in the second war. Not one that Dumbledore approved of either. He wanted Hermione to remain in school, learn and support Harry by staying safe. It was most likely that event that caused Hermione to propose what she did to Harry. It was most likely that event that caused Harry to accept the proposal.

Albus Dumbledore had a lot to answer for because of that event.

* * *

"Hermione Jane Granger, you are hereby sentenced to two years in prison on Azkaban Island for your crime." The judges gavel fell. A lot had changed in the court systems of the wizarding world. Most of it was due to Hermione and Harry's campaigning. Hermione never thought for one moment that the system she had helped establish would be sentencing her.

Hermione had pled guilty, and consequently received a lighter sentence. She didn't plead guilty because she was remorseful, no, Hermione would never regret what she had done. She didn't agree with the law that she had broken.

The reasoning behind the many laws that had been passed since Harry's incarceration had been lame. "Drastic times call for drastic measures," the Minister, Albus Dumbledore, had announced. Aurors had been given unprecedented powers, and they were abusing them. Hermione did not know what had possessed Dumbledore to give such powers to the Aurors.

When he passed the law Hermione was stunned. So stunned that she didn't even try to fight it. Then when she broke it, as it was impossible for a true friend of Harry's to follow, the Aurors swooped on their prey. The only way she got a lighter sentence was to act remorseful as she plead guilty, it tore her up inside, but she new she'd be no help to Harry when he was finally released if she didn't do what was necessary.

* * *

A/N: I know these chapters aren't very long, but this story demands chapters of such length (or lack of). I know how people like long chapters to read, but I have tried to make these chapters longer, but knowing what this story is about, such chapters would be pointless and become boring. Plus it really isn't my style. I can be extremely verbose when the situation calls for it as you will most likely see in the later chapters of my other story, Harry Potter: Nirvana!

Let me know what you think of this chapter, both the good and bad, and I will reply. But please do not comment on the length of the chapter, if you do I will not reply to your review.

Lord Kronos


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